Life raft



C. HANSEN Nov. 23, 1943.

LIFE RAFT Filed April 21, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. 23, 1943. c. HANSEN LIFE RAFT Filed April 21. 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 n I n INVENTOR. A 2; HA/VsE/V Patented Nov. 23, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LIFE RAFT Carl Hansen, New York, N. Y. Application April 21, 1941, Serial No. 389,499

9 Claims.

This invention relates to marine safety devices. More particularly my invention relates to an improved construction for life rafts of the type having a central platform.

One of the objects of my invention is to pro vide, in a life raft or float of the class described, improved locking means for releasably supporting the central platform.

Another object of my invention is to provide a life raft construction of the character described comprising relatively few and simple parts, which shall be easy to operate and which at the same time shall represent a general improvement in the art.

Further objects of my invention will become apparent from the following description, read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a life raft constructed and arranged in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view thereof;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken substantially on the line 1-4 of Fig. 1 but illustrating the central platform in its lowered position;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken substantially on the line 55 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 but illustrating the locking mechanism in released position; and

Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view similar to Fig. 5 but illustrating another form of platform holding device.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, I have shown a life raft or float ID of the type generally employed on ships and adapted to be thrown in the water when the occasion demands. The said raft I6 comprises the frame I I, made of any suitable material which will readily float in water and which at the same time is light .and strong. One such type of material which has-proven satisfactory is balsa wood. My invention is concerned with the, type of life raft or float provided with a central platform l2 slightly smaller in size than the, inner opening of the framev II. The said platform l2 may be made with a pmrality of spaced apertures I4, to permit it to be lowered a predetermined distance beneath the water level so that persons using the raft may with greater safety stand within the center of the frame portion resting their feet on the plat- :form. The platform I2 may be attached to the frame H by means of a netted material I5, the bottom end of which is permanently attached to the platform I2, while the top edge I 51) thereof is attached to a rope i6 disposed adjacent to and following the contour of the inner edge of the frame Ii. The said rope I6 is supported on the frame l I by means of a plurality of holding strap members I! transversely surrounding the frame II at spaced points and each having a looped portion I la through which the rope I6 passes.

In order that the platform 2 may be maintained in position within the frame II for the convenience of storing the raft on the ship and also for maintaining it at the water level, so that persons using the raft, if they so desire, may rest upon the platform I2 without having their bodies immersed in water, the following improved mechanism is provided:

At one end of the frame I I and spaced at oppo-. site sides of the central longitudinal axis thereof, I provide a pair of supports 29. As shown in Fig. 3, each of these supports 20 encircles a block of wood 25 projecting outwardly from the inner surface of the frame II and permanently attached thereto, by any suitable attaching means, such as for example, the dowel pins 22. The wood block 2I is provided with an inwardly notched portion 23 into which the adjacent edge of the platform I 2 is adapted to be freely received. The supports 29 may be made of suitable metallic material such as sheet brass encircling a portion of the surface of the frame II as well as the outer surface of the block 2i including the notch 23. A pair of screws 24 may be provided for additionally fastening the said brass support 20 to the block 2i. It is noted that a notchZE may be provided in the block 2I adjacent the inner surface thereof to permit passage therethrough of the rope I5 hereinbefore mentioned. At the opposite end of the elliptical frame II from that of the pair of supports it! and in substantial alignment with the longitudinal axis of the said frame II is a third strap support to for releasably supporting the opposite end of the platform I2. This support so may be made of metallic material similar to that of the supports 2d, designed to encircle the frame II for most of its circumference with the exception of a space A. At such space A the material of the supportsil is formed into a pair of parallel outwardly extending flanges 3 I. J ournaled across such flanges is a. shaft 32. Attached to or integral with the shaft 32 is a forked member comprising the prongs 38 which are spaced apart a sufficient distance to freely straddle the top and bottom surfaces of the platform 12.

It is thus seen from the above described construction that when the shaft 32 is in such position that the prongs 33 straddle the platform l2 and when the opposite end of the platform is received within the notches 23 of the two supports 20, We have effected a three point suspension in which the platform I2 is locked in position so that when the raft is thrown into the water, the said platform will remain at water level and will not be dislodged from its position. However, if it is desired to lower the platform I2 from the above described position to the position shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings, it is merely necessary to rotate the shaft 32 from its locking position,

shown in Fig. 5, to its unlocked position shown in Fig. 6, where the prongs 33 are clear of the platform I2, thus permitting the said platform to sink to its lowermost position, which is the limit of the stretched portion of the net l5. It is noted that due to the above described three point suspension of the platform l2, when the locking support 39 is rendered ineffective the said platform 12 will readily withdraw itself from the notches 23 of the supports 20.

In order to facilitate the rotational movement of the shaft 32 to lock or unlock the platform I2, I have provided handle members 35 and 33 attached to the shaft 32 for rotation therewith. The reason for providing handles on opposite sides of the platform is due to the fact that when the float or raft I is thrown overboard for use, it is not known which side will be uppermost when it strikes the water. Therefore, if the raft should fall in one direction, the handle 35 may be employed for unlocking the platform l2. If the raft should land on the water with the opposite side uppermost, then the handle 36 would be employed for unlocking the platform I2. In the case of the support 35, it is noted that the rope l6 freely passes through the space between the shaft 32 and the frame ll.

If desired, those portions of the edges of the platform l2 which are adjacent the supports 20 and 30, may be reinforced by a metallic edging 38 to protect the said platform against damage.

In Fig. 7, I have shown a form of construction which may be used in place of the locking support 33. This form is the well-known spring type of suspension which has been heretofore used, and comprises a wooden block 53 attached to the frame H by the dowel pins 51. Instead of the positive locking mechanism employed in the Fig. form, there is provided a spring member ,52 permanently attached to the frame II by means of screws 53. The said spring 52 comprises a pair of outwardly bulging portions 52a and a concaved portion 52b into which the platform 12 is adapted to be received. When this form of locking device is used in connection with my invention, in order to release the platform from its locked position, an amount of force is required sufficient to collapse the spring 52 to permit the release of the platform I2.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, I have herein described the principle and operation of my invention, together with the apparatus which I now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof, but I desire to have it understood that the apparatus shown is only illustrative and that the invention can be carried out by other means. Also, while it is designed to use the various features andelements in the combination and relations described, some of these may be altered and others omitted without interfering with the more general results outlined, and the invention extends to such use.

Having described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. The combination of a raft or float of the class described having a central opening and a platform received in said openingwith a pair of brackets disposed at one end of said raft on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis thereof for releasably supporting said platform on said raft adjacent said opening, said pair of brackets each comprising a notched portion for receiving an edge portion of said platform therein, a third bracket disposed at the opposite end of said raft at a point substantially coinciding with said longitudinal axis to provide a three point suspension and means for attaching said three brackets to said raft.

2. The combination of a raft or float of the class described having a central opening and a platform received in said openingwith a bracket for releasably supporting said platform on said raft adjacent said opening, said bracket comprising a block of wood or similar material attached to said raft and extending therefrom, a notch in said block of wood for receiving an edge portion of said platform therein, a second bracket attached to said raft for releasably supporting said platform, said second bracket comprising means for releasably locking said platform in position and a third bracket attached to said raft, said first and third brackets being disposed at one end of said raft at opposite sides of the longitudinal axis thereof and said second bracket being disposed at the opposite end of said raft and substantially coinciding with the longitudinal axis to a three point suspension for said platform.

3. The combination according to claim- 2 in which the means for releasably locking said platform in position is manually manipulative.

4. The combination of a raft or float of the class described having a central opening and a platform received in said openingwith a bracket for releasably supporting said platform on said raft adjacent said opening, said bracket comprising a block of wood or similar material attached to said raft and extending therefrom within 'said opening, a notch in said block of wood for receiving an edge portion of said platform therein and a second bracket attached to said raft for releasably supporting said platform, said second bracket comprising means for releasably locking said platform in position, said last named locking means comprising a member pivotally mounted on said second bracket and having a pair of spaced flanges adapted to straddle opposite surfaces of said platform to thus prevent said platform from withdrawing from said notches when it is desired not to lower said platform.

5. The combination according to claim 4 in which handles are provided on each of 'said spaced flanges for manual manipulation of said locking means. l

6. The combination of a raft or float ofthe class described comprising a frame having end portions and side portions surrounding a central opening and a platform freely received in said openingwith a pair of brackets for releasably supporting said platform adjacent said opening, said brackets being spaced from each other and attached to one end portion of said raft and on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis of said raft, each of said brackets comprisinga blockof .wood

port and manually manipulative means carried by said third bracket for releasably locking said platform in position so that it will be prevented from Withdrawing from said notches regardless of the weight placed upon said platform.

7. The combination of a raft or float of the class described having a central opening and a platform freely received in said opening-with a pair of brackets for releasably supporting said platform adjacent said opening, said brackets being spaced from each other and disposed at one end of said raft and on opposite sides of the 1ongitudinal axis thereof, each of said brackets comprising a block of Wood or similar material attached to said raft, said block being provided with a notch for receiving an edge portion of said platform therein, a third bracket attached to said raft and disposed at the opposite end of said raft from the said pair of brackets and manually manipulative means carried by said third bracket for releasably locking said platform in position so that it will be prevented from Withdrawing from said notches of said pair of brackets regardless of the weight placed upon said platform, said last named locking means comprising a member pivotally mounted on said third bracket and having a forked portion adapted to receive therein an edge portion of said platform.

8. The combination according to claim 2 in which the said blocks of Wood of said first and second brackets are attached to said raft by dowel pins passing through said blocks and entering said raft.

9. The combination according to claim 2 in which the said first and second brackets are each provided with a metallic strip transversely encircling a portion of said raft and overlying the outer surface of said block.

CARL HANSEN. 

